Summary of Amendments Made in Order to H.R. 1304,
the Quality Health-Care Coalition Act of 2000

Ballenger: Provides that the exemption included in the bill not apply to: (1) negotiations between health professionals and health plans relating to fees, payments, reimbursements, or other compensation arrangements; or (2) negotiations with a health plan that would allow health professionals to balance bill patients of a health plan. The exemption would also not apply to a health professional if they had not submitted and received approval from the Sec. of HHS on a plan to reduce medical errors. Health professionals availing themselves of the exemption would also be required to notify patients and prospective patients of their participation in exempt negotiations. The exemption would not apply to health professional who engaged in boycotts of health plans. (20 minutes)

Stearns: Exempts groups of health care professionals engaged in negotiations with health plans from federal antitrust laws if the FTC or the Department of Justice has certified that such negotiations would promote competition and enhance the quality of patient care. Groups representing fewer than 20% of the health care professionals in a specialty in a market area would get an antitrust exemption without having to obtain approval from the FTC or DOJ. Finally, the amendment clarifies that the bill does not create any legal right for such groups of health care professionals to engage in boycotts, coercive behavior or engage in a collective cessation of service to patients. (10 minutes)

Cox: Provides that a physician may not be forced to join a union as a condition of employment by a health plan. (10 minutes)

Terry: Prevents doctors, or any health care professional covered in the bill, from using the bill language to negotiate fees. (10 minutes)

Coburn: Exempts discussions regarding requiring abortion coverage from collective bargaining negotiations. (20 minutes)

Davis (IL): Sense of Congress that medical decisions regarding treatment should be made by the physician or health care professional and the patient. (10 minutes)

* Summaries derived from information submitted by the amendment sponsors.